Being the Best Mom you can be...more important than money

I wrote this to a friend who was stressing about paying off student loan debt. I thought I should post it here just in case I have a daughter-in-law who might have similar feelings in the future. (I do look at this blog as my personal family history...just need to get it printed).

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The sacrifice we make to be the BEST MOTHERS we can be, whether financial, physical, emotional, etc. is pleasing unto God. There is no greater counsel than to follow the guidance of the Holy Ghost. The world will teach you to value money and God teaches that where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.

Don't let Satan sway you from feeling confident in doing the Lord's will. The prophets have counseled us to be wise with our spending...and to be present in the here and now...and that no success out of the home can compensate for failure in the home. You, my friend, have always been very aware of your spending...don't let it make you crazy, it should bring peace. The debt was for the future well being of your family...take peace in that. And might I add that you guys have a job that provides for your family and aren't you thankful for that!! Law school helped you to get where you are...what a blessing!

We are counseled to keep our bodies healthy and to do physical activity...that is a good thing and if Gold's Gym membership is what helps you do that, great! It's worth the investment to maintain your sanity...that's what helps you be the best mom you can be...that a GREAT thing. Also, you guys having a getaway so you can maintain a strong, healthy married is another good thing. You want that weekend to be enjoyed...not analyzing every penny...that's not rejuvenating. By coming back from a weekend of L-O-V-E you'll both be ready to meet the parenting demands with more energy and love.

Choose to BECOME...(TOFW 2011 theme)

"All things are POSSIBLE to him that BELIEVETH" Mark 9:23




Of course I loved every minute of it. Though I organized a group of 14 of us to attend, to keep myself focused on why I was there, I went on my own to sit 3 rows up from the stage, right behind the presenters to get the "most" out of this experience. Here are some of my notes and inspiration received:

Mary Ellen Edmonds

• A rose seed is a rose from the moment it's planted until it dies. Same goes for our identity, we are God's child from the moment born until we die.
• You are real and absolutely unique. Heavenly Father knows you, your name, your thoughts/feelings, your hopes/dreams, etc.
• Satan does NOT want you to know who you are.
• Shred every unclean thought. "Look unto me in every thought, doubt not, fear not"

Kris Belcher

• Help me to know thy wil and LIVE it.
• Everyday CHOOSE to turn your adversity to Heavenly Father.
• Let the wind blow so we can become who He wants us to become (parrallel Bro. of Jared and vessels that traveled in the dark, blew to safety)

Hillary Weeks

• "We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become."
• Loved her new songs "That's who I am" and "I danced in the Rain" ...new cd out in the fall, can't wait
• Her experiment. Avg. person thinks 300 negative thoughts/ day. She used a clicker to count negative thoughts (around 170/day) and then decided to count positive thoughts instead (over 1200-best day)
• I need to write down my "windows of Heaven"...the things greater than I could imagine that God has blessed me with (Doug, BYU Event Management Job, Timberline Middle School job, my kids, my High School experience, Dental School experience)
• "Circumstance can't change, our thoughts can"
• Phillipians 4:8 (make quote board) "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things arehonest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things arelovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
• "Extraordinary moments can happen during ordinary days."
• "You briefly get to know your child as a child, the majority will be as an adult."
• Fill your mind with positive thoughts of succeeding on the things that are most important."
• When you encounter difficulty, you're being prepared for something.
• When you have a million things to do in the day, pray to know what is the most important thing for you to do and then DO that one.

Merrilee Boyack "Blazing Your Trail"

• be Bold and fearless
• be Eternally minded
• be Creative
• be Outward focused
• be Meek
• be Enlightened
• be U...unique
• read book "Stand for the Family" and visit standforthefamily.org
• Spirit daughters come from the most creative being- God.
• Don't conform or compare- that's Satan

Bro. Hilton III "Nothing shall be impossible before you"

• Be encouraged in His grace, not discouraged by comparisons (Matt. 17:20)
• Pres. Uctdorf- shouldn't compare, just do the best you can
• Pray for the strength of the Lord
• "Fear Not" and "Fear ye Not" appear 100x's in the scriptures; "Be Not afraid" appears 35 times in scriptures
• The battle against good and evil is not ours, it's God's.
• Teach boys the answer to life's problems are in the scriptures.
• Walk forward in faith---do NOT fear---it's not until our "feet our we" will the Lord provide a way
• No Fear, go Foward (Exodus 14:11-28)
• Do His will, then you'll know the doctrine---that's how we gain a testimony (John)
• "Although some blessings dont' come until the next life, nothing shall be impossible before you."

Emilee Freeman

• "What have I been called to do right now in this time in my life?"
• Pray to find out what purpose the Lord has for me.
• It's extremely important for you to trust in the Lord, learn what purpose he has for you and "settle it in your heart."
• The Lord looks at what we will become, we should too.
• Put a picture that strengthens your testimony of Christ in each room. Let the boys choose it. Write "I am a disciple of Jesus Christ" under it.
• Record the moments when you see the Lord loving you.
• Serve the Lord with all your heart, hold back nothing. Consecrate your life to the Lord.

As I knew I would Icame home on a spiritual high. I embraced each of my kids with long hugs and a BIG kiss for Doug. And when I saw Jax's bed head at 5pm and learned he didn't have shoes on either for his soccer pictures, I was able to keep an eternal perspective and not worry that the coach's son was that way...he's only 5 right. =)

When your week feels like this...

Sunday

1. Doug gets set apart as Elder's Quorum President
2. Learn of 3 families in need of meals, babysitting, prayers (ward Compassionate Service Leader)
3. Meeting with committee @ big youth event, discuss marketing (special assignment from Bishop)
4. Discuss ward family garden with the family donating the land (ward Welfare Specialist)
5. Kim, doug's sis, in town

Monday

1. Clean house, do laundry
2. Compassionate service committee meeting
3. Calm down over exhausted 3 year old 
4. Make a gluten free meal for a family
5. Lower crib because 14m old figured how to climb/fall out of it
6. Feed the missionaries
7. F.H.E.
8. Respond to voicemails and texts about families in need
9. Let Doug know that I love him and support him in his new calling (he's overwhelmed)
10. Prepare for preschool...didn't happen

Tuesday

1. Deal with the fact your 14m old kept you up all night and that you don't know why he's super fussy and won't sleep in his bed
2. Prepare for preschool 
3. Implement preschool for 9 super hyper kids...why didn't I have the hyper bug too
4. Feel overwhelmed with all that needs to get done
5. Put all three boys down for naps, snuggle with the 3 and 5 yr. old to make sure they actually fall asleep (need happy boys tonight)
6. Return more phone calls, start emails that need to be sent out, get distracted by one and then end up distressing on my blog =)
7. Need to start dinner
8. Prepare for marketing meeting with youth tonight and to watch kids cause Doug has EQ meeting

Wednesday-Saturday (much the same) but adding

1. Fellowship a few sisters
2. Set up meals for a family
3. Get a group together to clean another lady's house
4. Be visit taught
5. Learn to make chicken bruschetta at our first cooking group
6. Soccer meeting- Doug's the coach
7. Send email to Preschool parents and then Preschool again 
8. Get "ward family garden" email info details, create sign up sheet, posters made, start spreading the word
9. Return library books and get "food" ones for preschool.
10. Finish editing photos from a recent shoot.
11. Go to the temple in Nashville with Doug
12. Organize carpool and lodging for Time Out for Women (convince one husband to let his wife attend)
13. Confirm babysitter for this weekend since Doug has to work another Saturday (grr)- write up detailed schedule for my kids for her
14. Rejoice in the fact that I'll be getting my cup filled this weekend...can't wait for T.O.F.W.!!!

...be thankful you have a strong healthy body to get it all done!!! (pep talk for myself)

Dr. Suess Preschool Party

Reading, singing, eating, rhyming, creating...